


Only One

by orphan_account



Category: In the Forest of Huckybucky, The Huckybucky Forest
Genre: Gen, Gift Giving
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2019-02-07 16:51:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12845418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Marvin finds a basket with food on his doorstep around the time of his birthday. Now, how can he return the gesture?





	Only One

**Author's Note:**

> Is this a good time to mention that I have never read the English version of the book? So if the names are a bit, ah. Not Correct, then blame me. It's all my fault.

The basket _seemed_ inviting enough, Marvin mused. It was the kind that you fill with food and tasty desserts and bring with you on a picnic. And it _was_ filled with food, good food even, so Marvin had to wonder _how in Bucky it had gotten there_. Although, to be fair, half of the basket held salad, and carrots, and nuts, but it only served to puzzle Marvin further. Why had someone placed it here? How?

                Looking around for the twentieth time –and still not seeing anyone- Marvin cautiously picked up the basket and went inside. Sausages and ham. Carrots and nuts. So much of it that Marvin doubted he had to try to find food for the next month. Who had done this? Had it been an accident? This couldn’t be a birthday present, could it? Marvin hadn’t gotten a birthday present since he was a young fox.

                But who would remember his birthday? As far as he knew, only a few of the animals in the forest knew about the date, and none of those cared. What was it, then, if not a present?

                Frowning, Marvin sat down on the floor inside of his den and pulled out a piece of paper. It had been concealed between the nuts before now, which was why he hadn’t seen it outside. Marvin carefully unfolded the paper and began to read.

               

_Marvin,_

_Horace told me a few months ago when your birthday was, and I decided to give you a little something! Nice, right? Well, anyways, I went over to the farm to ‘visit’, as you would have put it. I was smart though, and took only some small things here and there. No humans will come after Father Bear Jr. this time around! I met a mouse in the store house –said her name was Sabrina-, and did you know mice could eat meat? That came as a surprise for me!_

_You should thank me, by the way. It wasn’t easy to get all this stuff from the farm and home again unnoticed. Oh yeah, no one knows about this so don’t tell anyone. Also, I know that you still have absolutely_ no _idea how to find food for yourself (yes I’ve seen your pathetic attempts, honestly Marvin even I know you’re not supposed to eat the leaves off the trees), so I took the liberty and gathered some for you._

_It took me five weeks. Thank me._

_Happy birthday,_

_Claus_

Marvin stared at the paper for a few seconds before he barked a laugh. He was surprised there was no smiley face at the end of the letter. In that moment, he decided that it couldn’t be a joke. It simply couldn’t. No one could copy Claus’ style so throughout, and the letter mirrored the mouse to the smallest details. From the scrawly, hurriedly written words to the complete lacking of any thought or system. No, this reeked Claus Climbermouse.

                Shaking his head and smiling fondly, Marvin set aside the card for later. Why had Claus given him this? Why had he spent time on him like this? Was it thought-through, or had he pulled another hooray-I-act-before-I-think thing?

                Well, either way, Claus had given him a basket full of food, and Marvin had to do something in return. Without stirring any suspicion, mind you, Claus had asked him to keep it silent after all… so he had to act as if nothing had ever happened.

                Fine. He could do that.

 

*

 

“Morten,” Marvin drawled, stepping onto the path in front of the chubby mouse.

                Said chubby mouse gave a startled yelp. “Ah- Marvin! He- hello!” he smiled awkwardly, gaze flickering already. Marvin rolled his eyes mentally. Certainly, Morten had given _such_ a sweet and encouraging speech about accepting everyone and being friends, but when faced with him alone, he very nearly peed his pants.

                “Hello, Morten,” Marvin said patiently, inclining his head and folding his paws behind his back. God, his instincts yelled at him to be threatening, but that wouldn’t help his case now. “You are Claus’ best friend, aren’t you?”

                Morten nodded hastily, slowly taking a step backwards. Honestly. It wasn’t as if Marvin was going to attack him on the spot.

                “When’s his birthday?” Marvin asked, and Morten froze dead in his tracks.

                “His- birthday?”

                “You know that, right?” Crossing his arms over his chest, Marvin raised an eyebrow in disbelief. If _Horace_ knew when _his_ birthday was, then _surely_ Morten would know Claus’, right?

                “O- oh yes, yes of course, it’s- it’s midway through fall!” Morten said, nodding enthusiastically. He probably just wanted to get out of the situation.

                Marvin grinned. “Marvelous,” he said, and turned around to leave. “Oh, and Morten?” he remembered, throwing a promising look over his shoulder. “Don’t mention this to Claus.”

                And with that, he disappeared in between the trees.

 

*

 

 

Claus let out a hearty laugh when he caught sight of the basket on his table. Of _course_ Marvin had managed to get it in without him noticing. Of _course_ he could be that sneaky.

                Claus jumped straight out of his bed and walked over to the table, interested in what might lay inside. Marvin hadn’t changed his behavior in the least the last four months, but he _had_ thrown him an occasional glance now and then.

                He hadn’t been seen eating for six weeks after his birthday. That was what Claus would call a successful mission.

                Claus laughed again when he opened the basket. It was filled to the brim with cookies, bread, muffins, cinnamon swirls, and buns. In one corner, two of Master Hare’s white cake boxes smiled up at him, and Claus smiled straight back.

                Turning his attention onto a folded piece of paper, Claus grabbed a cinnamon swirl and sat down in a chair.

 

_Claus,_

_I’m never going to do this again. Never. Do you know how long time this took? I didn’t have enough money to buy all of this, and I don’t know how to find nuts! I had to ask_ Squirrel-Jensen _for help, and you know how I feel about him._

_I have no idea why I’m doing this. None at all. I_ still _haven’t figured out_ why _you gave me that basket for my birthday. But thank you._

_It pained me to write that. Don’t make me do it again._

_And yes, I knew that mice could eat meat. Didn’t I mention it? Thought you knew that. Apparently not. Did she scare you? I hope she did. She haunts my nightmares with her obnoxiously loud ‘hi!’’s._

_Where was I going with this? Ah, yes. Happy birthday, Claus._

_Marvin Fox_

Claus was giggling by the end of the letter, and he put it down on the table. Reaching out for another cinnamon swirl, he already began to plan what to give Marvin the next year.


End file.
